


Northuldra Proposal

by T2Boy2



Series: Elsamaren Summer 2020 - July 12 - July 19 [6]
Category: Frozen (Disney Movies)
Genre: Elsamaren Summer 2020 (Disney), F/F, F/M, Iced Honey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:42:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25015657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/T2Boy2/pseuds/T2Boy2
Summary: Nr.6 of Elsamarensummer! Enjoy!
Relationships: Anna/Kristoff (Disney), Elsa/Honeymaren (Disney)
Series: Elsamaren Summer 2020 - July 12 - July 19 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1814848
Comments: 21
Kudos: 26
Collections: Elsamaren Summer 2020





	Northuldra Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Nr.6 of Elsamarensummer! Enjoy!

„I really have to feel this ridicules?“

Elsa asked, as she stood on top the boulders Samantha had put there for her, surrounded by reindeer, Anna and Kristoff standing at the ready next to them, waiting for their cue with big handwoven baskets in their arms and above her, well hidden in a tree, Ryder waited too, a sack in his hand, all three the same determent look on their faces.

“Most certainly! Now concentrate, let’s give it one more go before tomorrow.” Yelena said, standing with her hands clasped behind her back, straight as an arrow, her intense gaze fixated on the scene before her.

Elsa breathed out, long and almost forceful, bracing herself for what she had to do, before straightening up, spreading her arms wide, and right on cue Anna and Kristoff opened their basket, letting out yellow and purple butterflies, while Ryder made it rain maple seeds, all working together in creating this slightly bizarre, yet visual pleasing spectacle that was the Northuldra way of proposing.

“Honeymaren Nattura, my strong, beautiful flower of the forest, will you marry me?”

It was loud, it was ridiculous and it was so not Elsa, but Maren’s family, especially Ryder, her mentor Yelena, basically the whole tribe - all had confirmed that Maren would love it and by the way, the eyes of the sometimes so stoic warrior got all damp, whenever someone proposed in the traditional Northuldra way, the fifth spirit knew they were speaking the truth.

Maren had made her so happy for the past three years, and she deserved the proposal she wanted, not the one Elsa was comfortable with.

And so she practiced, asking the whole tribe, Anna and Kristoff for help (not Olaf, he is a blabbermouth) and all of them together threw themselves into preparing, spending almost a month on helping Elsa overcome her stage fright, always someone pitching in to distract Maren for the day, sending her in the opposite direction so she would not be even close to the rehearsals, all putting in the extra effort, up until now – the evening before the big day.

While Anna, Kristoff and Ryder build everything up for the next morning - regathering the maple seeds and spreading some honey on the insides of the baskets, so the butterflies would find their way back in themselves, Elsa waited nervously for Yelena’s final verdict.  
To her surprise the old leader graced her with a wide smile patting her gently on the shoulder, while leading her to the other three, joining them in their effort to set the stage for tomorrow.

“Well done, Elsa. Just do like you did today, and it will be fine.”

“Really?” the fifth spirit asked, very unsure of herself.

“It looked perfect!” Ryder offered, smiling while bumping her shoulder lightly with his fist.

“I am sure Maren will love it! Just look at how much effort you put into all that! I mean, catching butterflies and collecting all these seeds, gathering the reindeer- it’s adorable! It's going to be fine."

Kristoff nodded in affirmation.

“It looked great, better than mine for sure! I would say yes when you ask me.” the burly man joked, making Elsa smile.

“Wait, what? You did prepare a Northuldra proposal? When? Why did you never tell me this? And I hope it was for me.” Anna asked, her eyebrow curiously raised at her husband.

Between Kristoff telling them of one of his many attempts to propose to his wife, making them all snigger, and five pairs of hands, the work was quickly done and everything was set for tomorrow.  
Yelena urged Elsa to go home, before Maren might got suspicious, offering to see the Queen and King safely to their camp, well hidden, deep in the woods, far away from the main settlement so their presence would not tip the warrior of.

It was already quite late, the sun had almost set and Maren was already home as Elsa arrived.  
The goahti, they build together two years ago, looked freshly cleaned, a little fire already burning in the hearth at its center and a plate of gathered berries, nuts and a small loaf bread was standing next to a kettle of still hot peppermint tea, all waiting for the fifth spirit.

It was far from an unusual sight for Elsa, yet it never failed to warm her heart whenever she found herself on the receiving end of Maren’s thoughtfulness, all the little things she did constantly, born out of love, easy, without a fuss or in need of big gestures.

And as Maren turned around, smiling, reaching for her hands and greeted her with long, but chaste, almost adoring kiss, Elsa knew she would gladly make a fool of herself tomorrow, and every day after that when it meant that this woman would agree to become her wife.

“Sit with me? Hope you don’t mind, but I couldn’t wait for you to get home so we eat together. I was starving. ” Maren said after parting, and as Elsa nodded, she tugged her along, only letting go of her left hand, as they sat down, offering Elsa the plate and pouring some tea for her.

“Of course not and thank you! How was your day?” Elsa asked, before munching away on the bread, only realizing now how hungry she was.

“Exhausting, to be honest. I don’t know what had gotten into everybody lately! It’s like they can do nothing on their own all of the sudden, but maybe it’s just because we are moving soon. All are getting a bit crazy when a move comes closer.” Maren shrugged and purred herself some tee, luckily missing Elsa’s guilty expression as she took another bite of her bread, knowing very well why the rest of the tribe had acted so strangely.

“So I was running from one point to the other, helping people doing the simplest things…makes me appreciate the week I spend in Arendelle a little more, to be honest. Just eating, sleeping and I even got to beat up some of the soldiers!” Maren said smugly, sipping at her tea, a barley hidden smile on her face.

“Weren’t you there to help Mattias train the new recruits? Giving them a new opponent to measure their skill against?” Elsa asked direly.

“Ah, details…” Maren answered, waving her hand dismissively, and Elsa smiled, rolled her eyes and shook her head, finishing her bread and moving on to the berries.

“How was your day?” the smaller woman asked her and Elsa was proud she could keep her voice even as she spoke.

“Nothing special, Samantha was a little restless but otherwise all was quiet. That I helped Yelena with some herbs she had to gather was pretty much the most exciting thing I have done today.”

“Well, the day is not over yet.” Maren said, and Elsa looked at her curiously, waiting for her to say more but the other only smiled, stood up and took the now empty plate form her, putting it way.

Elsa watched Maren closely, and even though her movements were as smooth and confident as ever there was something tense in her shoulders, her breath too controlled.

She was nervous…but why?

Elsa’s own nerves started to flatter, not sure what to expect as Maren returned to her side, sitting on her knees, just like the first night they had spent together, in front of a fire, talking about the spirits and as Maren looked at her the expression on her face made Elsa swallow thickly - she saw something between fear and uncertainty, but mostly tenderness and so much love, combined with a little determent spark burning in these brown eyes.

“I want to ask you something, for a while now to be honest. May I?”

Elsa could only nod, her mind refusing to connect the dots.

“When I first thought of this moment I pictured it…bigger….louder …..way more public and –“ Maren interrupted herself, one hand reaching into the small bag that was always fastened at her belt, taking something out, small enough so her fist covered it completely: “ – with way more reindeer and butterflies.” She said, laughing slightly.  
“But I figured that you would like this more, when it’s just the two of us, at home without all the Northuldran extravagance when it comes to these things.”

Maren shifted, her nerves getting to her a little now. Probably because Elsa was still starring at her closed hand, knowing what was in there but unable to really grasp it, frozen in thought unable to show a somewhat normal reaction to all that, like Anna had, so long ago when Kristoff had fallen onto one knee.

She just started like a rabbit would look at a snake, and even though she vaguely realized that this must look like the worst possible reaction to Maren, she could not help it.

But, like always, the other seemed to be able to read Elsa, just knowing what was going on in her head and that she wanted nothing more than to hear Maren’s question and see what she was holding.

“Before you, my world was small. You made it so much bigger, and not just by lifting the mist. And I have little that I could give you in return. Only the promise that all that I own, achieve, all that I’ll ever be belongs to you, if you want that is. Will you marry me, Elsa?”

Maren’s fist opened in, what felt like slow-motion to Elsa – revealing a slim wooden ring.

Elsa’s hand was shaking as she took it in her hand, a delicate finger tracing over the masterful cravings – her snowflake on one side Maren’s family-symbol, a rune that had looked to Elsa always somewhat like a shield, meeting in the middle, forming what vaguely looked like a shield with a snowflake on it, something akin to what a knight would carry, in one the fairytales her sister loved so, the symbol of a new family – their family!  
If she wanted it to be so.

All she needed to say was:

“Yes.”

Looking at Maren after her answer was like looking directly at the sun, her smile and the happiness in her eyes nearly blinding Elsa with their beauty and as tan fingers reached for the ring, slipping it on to the spirits left ring finger, Elsa was not the only one with tears in her eyes.

Elsa leaned forward, kissing Maren, seeking the embrace of the other not wanting to be parted from her, even for the short amount it took them to get ready for bed.

They lay awake a long time, talking, Elsa pressing into Maren’s side, while the shorter woman lay on the back, holding her close with one arm too tired for anything more but unwilling sleep just yet.

“I’m impressed. You even knew on which hand the ring goes. You really did your homework.” Elsa praised her fiancée.

“Well, I had some help.” Maren admitted sheepishly while holding Elsa's left hand, stroking the ring with her thump.

“Who? Anna?” Elsa asked

“No, like she would have been able to keep quiet around you.”

“Kristoff?”

“No, try again.”

Elsa thought for a moment, not really sure who was from Arendelle and discreet enough so Maren would ask this person for help in such a private matter.  
Then it hit her, she lifted her head from Maren’s chest, looking into gleaming brown eyes.

“You didn’t spend a week in Arendelle to beat up the recruits didn’t you?”

“No, I spend a whole week proposing to Mattias over and over again. Spirits, this man is such a hopeless romantic. He cried even at the beginning where I was still really, really bad at it, and kept messing up on which hand the ring goes or when I should go down on one knee. But…I figured that even the relatively subtle way of proposing in Arendelle, well, subtle by comparison at least, would be way too schmaltzy for your taste. I hope I have been right?” she asked carefully, even a little unsure after Elsa's answer and it was the cutest thing.

Leaning her forehead against Maren’s, snuggling even closer, Elsa spoke softly.

“It was perfect!”

“I am glad." They stayed like that for a few moments, close, feeling content in the presence of each other until Maren leaned back, good humor gleaming in her eyes. "I am really glad this was enough for you. Mattias taught me a song at one point, and…wow, I mean I like this stuff but even I thought that the composer of this song needs to toughen up a bit. I think it would have killed me if I had to sing it to you.”

That nearly threw Elsa in a mad laughing fit she desperately tried to stifle, to not disturb their poor neighbors in the middle of the night.

But Maren didn’t seem to notice as she continued.

“ Something like: I am quite for you, when you are too loud, I listen to music with you I don’t like, I bring you light, when it's dark – at one point I thought ‘Please just grow a spine and a personality’. It was horrendous and…are you laughing at me?”

Finally, Elsa could not resist any longer, slight laughter shaking her body and of course, Maren had to notice how her fiancée struggled, as she tried to not laugh out loud.

“No.” she managed to say before another fit of giggles overwhelmed her and she had to press her hands on her mouth.

“You are laughing at me and my pain!? Ohhhh, that.means.war!” Maren said and Elsa could do little as the smaller woman threw herself at her, making Elsa shriek, disturbing their neighbors very much.

It was still night as loud knocking on the small door of the goahti woke Anna. With Kristoff barely stirring next to her, the queen of Arendelle rose and slowly moved to see who it was, only half awake and her mad bed hair on full display.

As she opened she was greeted by her sister, wide awake and looking absolutely stunning. Of course, her sister was always beautiful but right now she seemed to glow, almost brimming with happiness, her eyes gleaming determinately.

“Oh hey, Elsa.” She said yawning, leaning a little into the frame of the door, nearly falling asleep right then and there.

“Anna, I need you and Kristoff to help me!”

“But Elsa, it’s way too early for that. We already have everything in place… so just let’s get back to bed and…”

“No Anna, I need more!”

“More?”

“Yes, more reindeer, more butterflies, more maple seeds, more everything! It needs to be bigger, louder! I want the people in Arendelle to hear it when I ask Maren to marry me!” Elsa spoke exited, a nearly mad gleam in her eyes and even though she was tired beyond belief Anna thought it might be better to just do what her sister wanted at that point.

“Ok, just give me a moment to wake Kristoff and get dressed, alright?” she said drowsily.

“Good. Hurry please!”

“Sure, sure…” Anna said, a deep long yawn following her words.

As she turned to go inside she saw Ryder leaning against the outside of the goahti, looking just as tired than she probably looked right now, even though he was fully dressed already.  
“Oh, hey Ryder.” She greeted him and the young man answered with a very hollow, barely audible ‘Hey Anna.’ but Elsa would have none of it.

“No time for pleasantries, Anna! We are on a mission!” she said, almost shoving Anna back into the hut and closed the door for her.

“Ok….” Anna said, and like a sleepwalker walked back the makeshift bed out of furs and blankest, collapsing on Kristoff’s side, making him grunt and wake up….well, something like that at least.

“Kristoff?” Anna said, still laying on his huge form.

“Yes?” he said, his voice still horse from sleep.

“I think Elsa went mad. Can you come out with me and try to calm her down before she freezes everything again?”

“Of course.” he said, excepting his fate he rose up, causing Anna to roll of his shoulder, landing face down on the bed with seemingly no energy to get back on her feet.

“Thanks, sweetie….” the queen of Arendelle said, her voice now muffled by a blanket, hoping with all her might that Honeymaren would say yes, so Elsa was her problem for all eternity.

Even though she was beyond tired and a little cross with her sister for making her roam a forest at night, to collect ‘more of everything’, Anna must admit that Maren’s reaction made all the extra effort almost worth it….ah, who was she kidding!?  
It all had been so worth it!

Not to mention how the whole tribe seemed to almost lose it as well, some already starting to prepare a big feast, celebrating the union of the fifth spirit and their next leader.

Witnessing how the sometimes so stoic and proud Honeymaren Nattura, strong protector of her people, turned to crying mess was truly a sight behold!

She almost resembled Yelena, Ryder and Kristoff who cried next to her.

And the way her sister's eyes gleamed as Maren said ‘yes’ was kind of cute too, granted…. and her laugh as Maren lifted Elsa high up, spinning with graceful like a dancer, before letting her down again, tenderly reaching for her hands, kissing a ring that Elsa wore on her left hand, was….was……

**“Wait, WHAT??!?!?! ELSA!!! IS THAT A RING???!?!”**

Thanks to Gale, who carried the loud scream of Anna back to her homeland, the people of Arendelle indeed heard of the engagement of their former queen.

**Author's Note:**

> And here is the end! Thanks for reading!
> 
> up next is: Why Do Lullabies Always Have Some Terrible Warning In Them?  
> See you there! Bye!!


End file.
